Data surrounds us at work and at home. It is often the backbone of how we contact friends, clients, co-workers. Our home and business lives are intertwined with data at the center.
To protect ourselves and our business, data security is an important topic to consider. How we manage information, contacts, documents is a decision. How you decide to manage information at home and work involves considering access desired. Various ways to manage information include: paper record keeping; video recordings; verbal conversation and electronic record keeping using software, apps, or using files on your computer are all ways people create, file and store their information.
Access to, safety and protection of your information are topics to consider.
Have you considered all the information you create and access on a regular basis at work and at home? Before thinking about access to and safety/protection of information, take a minute to think about where your information is. Do you access information on a hard drive, USB, an app, via the cloud, on paper, via back-up, software utilities or through 3rd party providers? All of the above?! Knowing “what you have” is an important 1st step in protecting your information.
Knowing “where” your information is an important next step. Do you have a central place where you and anyone who steps in to help you find important information? If you prefer to keep information nearby, consider a fire proof safe you may easily transport should floods, fire, earthquake or storms necessitate a hasty departure. If you have cloud based back up for vital data, your information is protected from local natural disasters and allows access while traveling.
Watching out for the “who” has access to your information is a key next step. How is your information protected (passwords, encryption, etc.)? How have you arranged for others to access your information? Hacking is a reality today – we’ve seen recent evidence of this from companies, health care providers, social media sites and more. Protecting your identity is a challenge. Remedies include: changing our passwords regularly; using different passwords for different accounts; signing up for identity protection services and using password managers to help us protect and remember which password for each account! Yes, amidst the convenience of technology, we experience a new layer of risk.
In business, knowing the “what, where and who” is equally important. Preparation for change is an additional component of data security. Businesses have a critical need to consider how to prepare for growth, staff changes, location requirements, privacy and security across the enterprise when considering data access, security and protection of their sensitive information. Balancing the needs of working virtually, accessing information globally and 24/7 client responsiveness drive the use of information at any time, from anywhere. Providing access to company data prompts the question of how to craft business policies to outline security, guidelines of use, conduct and ethics for employees.
Data touches our lives daily. Preemptive habits ensure we take full advantage of the flexibility we enjoy, while protecting ourselves in the process.
When you are ready for assistance to ensure you, your family members, employees and company are ready for anything life hands you, we are ready for you. Advanced planning at home and work serves people in measurable and profound ways.
The Living Planner supports proactive resources and quality one-on-one comprehensive individual/family and business planning. Contact us to learn more about how we work with individuals, business owners and employees via Email or online @ The Living Planner